RULES vs. FREEDOM…Is there even a conflict?
Join the #CatholicTwitter Revival with Priests, Religious and Lots of Young Catholics!
Photo By: Flickr/Esther Vargas
Join the #CatholicTwitter Revival with Priests, Religious and Lots of Young Catholics!
Twitter has been a widely used social media site for a while, but never before has #CatholicTwitter kicked off to such a great start, until people are tweeting that they learn more about the faith from online sources of social media than anywhere else.
Lexie (@LexieMetzler), a 23-year-old Catholic from the US who also blogs for Catholic Link, said, “I learn more about Catholicism from Twitter than I ever did from CCD and Confirmation prep.” showing that the younger generation are much more in tune with what they read online than anything you can even tell them in person.
It is all about the experience of God that touches the hearts of people. If you can reach out to the young, you’re building the future of the church. That is why so many priests, religious, and even lay Catholics have taken to Twitter to spread the Gospel in their own unique ways.
On #CatholicTwitter, you will find a particular congregation rocking the scene – known as #MediaNuns, the Daughters of St. Paul are taking the spotlight with various themed tweets to show people what religious life and evangelisation really means in today’s world.
To name a few, Postulant Cecilia Cicone (@CeciliaCicone) tweets about #RealPostulants, sharing her experience in the first stage of religious life, having entered with the Daughters of St. Paul a year and a half ago.
Other notable Sisters from the same congregation are Sr. Theresa Aletheia (@pursuedbytruth) whom you may have seen blogging on Aleteia online, or tweeting “Day # with skull on my desk...#MementoMori” which translates into the Latin for “Remember, you will die”. She is known for reminding us, in Pauline fashion, to be mindful of our deaths, and thus live life to the full.
“Day 238 with a ?? on my desk:
Jesus, open our hearts so that we might see our need for something other than ourselves. Open our hearts so that the Life of your love might course through the veins of our souls.
#mementomori”
- Sr. Theresa Aletheia (@pursuedbytruth)
Priests have also taken to the Twitter scene to share God’s love with the world. Fr. Dan Folwaczny (@frrocketdan) has shared his #BeAPriest story to inspire young men to consider the vocation of priesthood. Up next will be Fr. Tim Grumbach (@FrTimGrumbach) who will also share his #BeAPriest story. Both have a number of tweets that share a bit about the life of a priest in modern society, with a bit of humour thrown in between – you’ll have to follow them to find out more!
Lay Catholics, especially the younger generation, have also played a role in sharing with the world what living as a young Catholic is like today. Christina Sorrentino (@FutRelSis), who will be entering the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate on September 8th 2018, has used her twitter to evangelise by engaging in conversations with people who wish to talk about issues on the faith. One of the most recent conversations where myself (@kltherese), Lexie (@LexieMetzler) and Christina (@FutRelSis) were involved in was helping someone “find their feet in the faith” who needed some reassurance on their decision to become a Catholic. We are staying in touch with this person, though we won’t reveal their identity at this stage.
Some of those who recently became Catholics and will be received into the Church this Easter are also joining the conversations on the faith on Twitter. Lizzie (@lizziereezay) tweets her excitement as she awaits the Easter Vigil to finally be confirmed and receive her first communion in the Catholic church. Please keep her in your prayers. Olivia Lucy (@finallycatholic) tweeted her journey home to the Catholic church, when she was received on 3rd September 2017. She now tweets about her life and has a Q&A social network called “Curious Cat”.
On the more humorous side, meet Tommy Tighe (@theghissilent) whose bio states in a funny fashion, “from the desire to be retweeted, deliver us Lord”. One of his most recent jokes includes him saying that Facebook data and your last search on Amazon being collected is nothing compared to the data that the all-knowing, all-powerful being who holds your life in his very hands has on you, which he describes as “truly terrifying”. Of course, he’s referring to God here, the One who really “holds all our data”. LOL!
“if you think this Facebook data collecting things is bad, let me tell you about all the personal data being collected by an all-knowing, all-powerful being who holds your very life in His hands
it goes WAY beyond what products you recently search on Amazon
truly terrifying”
- Tommy Tighe (@theghissilent)
Apart from the above, many Catholic News services, and other religious congregations also tweet, including those whom you may not expect to be on Twitter. Sr. Catherine Wybourne, a Benedictine nun living in Holy Trinity Monastery in the UK tweets and prays for tweeps using the alias @Digitalnun. Another popular congregation hitting the twitter scene are the Salesians, known for working with young people – follow Sister B. (@sisterb24) and Sr. Colleen Clair (@sister_colleen) for more from them. For news services, EWTN (@EWTN) and Independent Catholic News (ICN) run by Jo Siedlecka (@ICN_UK) would be a good place to start.
So, now you know what’s going on #CatholicTwitter, we would like to welcome you to join in the conversation and tweet with us. Follow me @kltherese and feel free to talk about issues of the faith and find out about the lives of other faithful Catholics living in the modern society today.
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About the Author
I am a Catholic convert who wanted to be "at one with God" since the age of three. I became a Catholic officially when I turned 18, in the ‘Year of Faith’ 2013. Since then, I have been so blessed in discovering the wealth of blessings God has in store for me, each and every day, hidden even in the most ordinary of things.
During the course of the pandemic, I was made to re-evaluate many areas of my life, including my own growth, friendships, family relationships and priorities. I believe firmly and truly that God had a reason for all this, and that the Crosses I bear are united to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that He bears all with me until my final destiny, where He will journey with me through this life, reminding me that I am a mere pilgrim, until I reach Heaven with Him, long though the journey may be, I pray for perseverance, that I may reach the end goal.
I love writing, editing and music, but I also have a special love for Scripture and Canon Law. More than anything though, Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the special love of my life!
I was also closely associated with the Traditional Latin Mass, and yes, I recognise that the Vatican exists and that, as a Catholic, I am under obedience to Holy Mother Church. I very much love the TLM, but I go to both forms of the Mass. All views expressed in my articles are my own and do not necessarily reflect on others who may associate with the Old Rite Masses using the 1962 Missal. As it happens, I currently attend a New Rite Mass at my local parish in London, U.K.
I was in the same Archdiocese as Fr. Andrew Kooi (http://www.catholic365.com/author/fr-andrew-kooi/) while I was an undergraduate, but not the same parish! Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese spans quite a large area!
Feel free to comment on my articles if you have any constructive feedback or suggestions. :)
